Use of the Sabbath, pt.4 Since the Sabbath is the memorial of creative power, it is the day above all others when we should acquaint ourselves with God through His works. In the minds of the children the very thought of the Sabbath should be bound up with the beauty of natural things. Happy is the family who can go to the place of worship on the Sabbath as Jesus and His disciples went to the synagogue--across the fields, along the shores of the lake, or through the groves. Happy the father and mother who can teach their children Gods written word with illustrations from the open pages of the book of nature; who can gather under the green trees, in the fresh, pure air, to study the word and to sing the praise of the Father above. {Ed 251.1} By such associations parents may bind their children to their hearts, and thus to God, by ties that can never be broken. {Ed 251.2} As a means of intellectual training, the opportunities of the Sabbath are invaluable. Let the Sabbath-school lesson be learned, not by a hasty glance at the lesson scripture on Sabbath morning, but by careful study for the next week on Sabbath afternoon, with daily review or illustration during the week. Thus the lesson will become fixed in the memory, a treasure never to be wholly lost. {Ed 251.3} Ed 251 Never Results in Starvation.--Never need anyone fear that observance of the true Sabbath will result in starvation. [Isaiah 58:11, 12; Proverbs 7:2; Isaiah 58:14.] These promises are a sufficient answer to all the excuses that man may invent for refusing to keep the Sabbath. Even if, after beginning to keep Gods law, it seems impossible to support ones family, let every doubting soul realize that God has promised to care for those who obey His commandments.--Manuscript 116, 1902. {Ev 240.1} It Takes Men of Courage.--It requires moral courage to take a position to keep the commandments of the Lord. An opposer of the truth once said that it was only weak-minded people, foolish, ignorant persons, who would turn away from the churches to keep the seventh day as the Sabbath. But a minister who had embraced the truth, replied, If you think it takes weak-minded persons, just try it. It takes moral courage, firmness, decision, perseverance, and very much prayer to step out on the unpopular side. We are thankful that we can come to Christ as the poor suffering ones came to Christ in the temple. . . . {Ev 240.2} You have not dared to trample under foot the commandments of God, and have stepped out on unpopular truth, let the result be what it may. Will the Saviour ever turn away to leave you to struggle alone? No, never. But He never told His disciples that they should have no trials, no self-denial to endure, no sacrifices to make. The Master was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, how that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich. We thank God that in your poverty you can call God your Father. {Ev 240.3} Poverty is coming upon this world, and there will be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. There will be wars and rumors of wars, and the faces of men will gather paleness. You may have to suffer distress; you may go hungry sometimes; but God will not forsake you in your suffering. He will test your faith. We are not to live to please ourselves. We are here to manifest Christ to the world, to represent Him and His power to mankind.--Manuscript 37, 1894. {Ev 240.4} Ev 240 An Appeal to One in the Valley of Decision.--The enemy was telling you to wait for a more convenient season. He has been on hand with his devices presenting to you the advantages you would gain if you did not keep the Sabbath, and the disadvantages you would realize in keeping the Sabbath. He has prepared these various excuses why you should not make your decision to be obedient to the law of God. He is a deceiver. He falsifies the character of God, and you have accepted his temptation. All your imaginings have shown distrust of your heavenly Father. {Ev 242.1} You have thought when you could realize a certain prosperity in your business, then you would obey the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. But the Lord requires of every one of His subjects entire obedience. Gods requirements were upon you, and you have been making terms with God. And all the time Satan has been working to make it more and still more impossible as you look at the matter, to decide to keep the Sabbath. You have been growing less and less susceptible to the movings of the Spirit of God upon your heart. The Lord has given me a message for you and for your children to take up your long-neglected duty, to walk in the light as He is in the light. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind. This do, said Christ of a lawyer, and thou shalt live. This is the voice of God to yourself and to your children. The law of God is good as well as just and profitable to all who obey, and you will show honor to Him whom you obey. {Ev 242.2} When your mind is brought into conformity to the will of God, to obey His commandments, think you that the Lord will not have a care for you and your temporal interests? You have been almost persuaded, but did not obey. You thought you would wait until the way cleared before you. The Lord has left every human agent responsible for his course of action. Gods claims are to be your first consideration. Obedience to God is your first duty. You are to leave all the consequences in His hands. You have been hesitating because you do not now realize the strong convictions that you once had, and would not yield to obey. You need not expect as forcible conviction again. You will have to obey God and take your position on the truth, feeling or no feeling. Your business now is to work decidedly from principle, to make your decisions irrespective of consequences.-- Letter 72, 1893. {Ev 243.1} Live Up to Every Ray of Light.--Live up to every ray of light that you have received. Your eternal interests are involved here, and that is why I say, Cherish every ray of light. On your knees ask Christ to impress your heart by His Holy Spirit, and turn not away from His law.--Manuscript 10, 1894. {Ev 243.2} Better Lose Position Than Jesus.--Do not think that if you take your position for the Bible truth you will lose your position. You had better lose your position than lose Jesus. You had better be partakers of the self-denial and self-sacrifice of the Lord than to go in your own way seeking to gather to yourself the treasures of this life. You cannot carry any of it into the grave. You will come up from the grave without anything, but if you have Jesus you will have everything. He is all that you will require to stand the test of the day of God, and is not this enough for you?--Manuscript 20, 1894. {Ev 243.3} A Decided Stand.--Men may raise up all the combativeness they please, but the commandments of God are the commandments of God still. We have decided to keep Gods commandments and live, and [preserve] His law as the apple of our eye. Let men rail out against the law of God and trample His commandment-keeping people under their feet. Can they do it and live? It is impossible. God has His measurement of character, and it is those who obey Him that live, and those who keep His law as the apple of their eye that He preserves.--Manuscript 5, 1891. {Ev 244.1} Offering Positions to New Sabbathkeepers.--Among those who embraced the truth at _____ last winter was a young man who left the school that he was attending, in order to keep the Sabbath. He was asked what he expected to do for a living. He replied, God has given me physical strength, and I will work in any capacity rather than break His commandments. Some felt anxious that he should be given a place in the printing office, but one said, No. When he shows that he will obey God at any cost, then we shall know that he is the very man we need in this office. But if he has not principle enough to do this, he is just the man that we do not want. {Ev 244.2} Elder _____ came to me, and asked me if he ought to give the young man encouragement to think that he would be given a place in the office. I said, The God of heaven has presented before him the eternal weight of glory that awaits the overcomer, and if like Moses, he has respect unto the recompense of reward, he will take his position decidedly on the side of truth. But it would do harm and not good to hold out before him any bribe or attraction. And yet your duty is to help him to see that he must walk out by faith, but do not leave him to wrestle this battle out alone, for Satan will tempt him, and you must render him every help possible.--Manuscript 26, 1886. {Ev 244.3} Business Ties With Sabbathbreakers.--There is need of a Sabbath reform among us, who profess to observe Gods holy rest day. Some discuss their business matters and lay plans on the Sabbath, and God looks upon this in the same light as though they engaged in the actual transaction of business. {Ev 245.1} Others who are well acquainted with the Bible evidences that the seventh day is the Sabbath, enter into partnership with men who have no respect for Gods holy day. A Sabbathkeeper cannot allow men in his employ, paid by his money, to work on the Sabbath. If, for the sake of gain, he allows the business in which he has an interest to be carried on on the Sabbath by his unbelieving partner, he is equally guilty with the unbeliever; and it is his duty to dissolve the relation, however much he may lose by so doing. Men may think they cannot afford to obey God, but they cannot afford to disobey Him. Those who are careless in their observance of the Sabbath will suffer great loss.-- Review and Herald, March 18, 1884. {Ev 245.2} One Kind of Employment for Sabbathkeepers.--We find here the best class of people to work for. And for many of them it would not be difficult to keep the Sabbath. _____is a place where a great deal of poultry raising is done. With almost every dwelling house on the outskirts of the city poultry yards are connected. The houses are not built in terraces, but stand apart from one another, often surrounded by several acres of land. Poultry of all kinds is raised, and the eggs find a ready market in _____ and _____, and are taken to the city by boat. {Ev 245.3} I write this that you may understand the situation. In poultry raising many families find a means of livelihood, and these could not raise the objection that many raise to keeping the Sabbath--that it would interfere with their business. They could keep the Sabbath without fear of losing their employment.--Letter 113, 1902. {Ev 246.1} Ev 242-5 Line Upon Line, Precept Upon Precept.--It is not preaching alone that must be done. Far less preaching is needed. More time should be devoted to patiently educating others, giving the hearers opportunity to express themselves. It is instruction that many need, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little. {Ev 338.1} But it is very difficult to impress the minds of our ministering brethren with the idea that sermons alone cannot do the work that is needed for our churches. Personal efforts are wanted; they are essential for the prosperity of individuals and churches.--Manuscript 7, 1891. {Ev 338.2} Help in Beginning the New Life.--Wherever such an interest is awakened as that which is now shown in _____, men of the best ability should be chosen to help in the effort. They should enter heartily into the work of visiting and holding Bible readings with those newly come to the faith, and with those who are interested, endeavoring to establish them in the faith. The new believers are to be carefully instructed, that they may have an intelligent knowledge of the various lines of work committed to the church of Christ. One or two men should not be left alone with the burden of such a work. {Ev 338.3} Much depends upon the work done by the members of the church in connection with and following the tent meetings that shall be held in our cities. During the meeting, many, convicted by the Spirit, may be filled with a desire to begin the Christian life; but unless there is constant watchfulness on the part of the workers who remain to follow up the interest, the good impressions made on the minds of the people will become indistinct. The enemy, full of subtle reasoning, will take advantage of every failure on the part of Gods workers to watch for souls as they that must give an account.--Review and Herald, March 2, 1905. {Ev 338.4} Ev 348 Those who have charge of our institutions and our schools should guard themselves diligently, lest by their words and sentiments they lead the students into false paths. Those who teach the Bible in our churches and in our schools are not at liberty to unite in making apparent their prejudices for or against political men or measures, because by so doing they stir up the minds of others, leading each to advocate his favorite theory. There are among those professing to believe present truth some who will thus be stirred up to express their sentiments and political preferences, so that division will be brought into the church. {FE 475.1} The Lord would have His people bury political questions. On these themes silence is eloquence. Christ calls upon His followers to come into unity on the pure gospel principles which are plainly revealed in the word of God. We cannot with safety vote for political parties; for we do not know whom we are voting for. We cannot with safety take part in any political schemes. We cannot labor to please men who will use their influence to repress religious liberty, and to set in operation oppressive measures to lead or compel their fellow men to keep Sunday as the Sabbath. The first day of the week is not a day to be reverenced. It is a spurious sabbath, and the members of the Lords family cannot participate with the men who exalt this day, and violate the law of God by trampling upon His Sabbath. The people of God are not to vote to place such men in office; for when they do this, they are partakers with them of the sins which they commit while in office. {FE 475.2} We are not compromise principle by yielding to the opinions and prejudices which we may have encouraged before we united with Gods commandment-keeping people. We have enlisted in the army of the Lord, and we are not to fight on the enemys side, but on the side of Christ, where we can be a united whole, in sentiment, in action, in spirit, in fellowship. Those who are Christians indeed will be branches of the true vine, and will bear the same fruit as the vine. They will act in harmony, in Christian fellowship. They will not wear political badges, but the badge of Christ. {FE 475.3} FE 475
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